Former student Mark (Sam) Wightman sadly passed away on 3rd March 2026. His funeral was held at St Peter Ad Vincula in Broad Hinton on Tuesday 31st March in bright sunshine and the church, marquee and graveyard were full of his family and friends from far and wide - a testament to his popularity. The wake was held at Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club with his cherished Mini parked on the half way line of the 1st XV pitch. The following OWB's attended: Mike Hannaford, David Spry, Nick Adams, Nick Dennis, Ian Jackson, Geoffrey Leather, Myron Prosser, Chris Phillips, James Jenkins and Jeremy Phelp. WBS friends Lucy and Jeff Lancaster, Monica Carter-Burns and Amanda Reynolds also attended. 

Please find below the eulogy given by his daughter Charlotte Knight.

Opening
“Be strong and have good courage.” It’s the motto Dad lived by, and the motto he taught our family. This encouragement will be useful in the days to come.
Even in the sadness, there’s a quiet joy in remembering him, in all the extraordinary ways he made our ordinary lives brighter.
On behalf of our family I would like to thank you all for being here today, to honour him.

Early life
As a cheeky young boy, Dad grew up in Purton, with his older brother Roderick, his younger brother Ben, and his parents Bob and Mary. Their home life sounded wonderfully wholesome, with geese, piglets, dogs, a little pony called Dumpling, and the beloved go kart he built. It was a childhood full of adventure, freedom, and the occasional mischief. Those early years helped shape the sociable, spirited person Dad would become.

School
School life began at Bentham House, before moving on to West Buckland. Here, he was known as Sam. nicknamed after his black dog. The name stayed with him among old friends throughout his life. He threw himself into all the teams at school and was a worthy recipient of his sports colours, awarded to boys of outstanding ability. He had a very deep affection for West Buckland and remained closely connected to it over the years, always keen to support it in any way he could. The close friendships he made there lasted a lifetime, and he took great pride in the community and camaraderie it represented. He always kept a bit of that fun, schoolboy charm.

Mum
Summer holidays were often spent in Hope Cove, Devon, and it’s here where he met Mum. They were both just thirteen years old when they, and several other families, met there one summer. Those playful meetings on the beach and playing table tennis, grew into a lifelong partnership, and together they built more than fifty years of marriage, which embodied steady devotion, quiet strength, and an unwavering focus on family.

Homes
Their life together began in Camden Crescent in Bath, where they formed friendships so strong, they became godparents to one another’s children—bonds that have lasted a lifetime.
Early family life began in Wootton Bassett before settling in Broad Hinton, and here became their true home. Over 52 years they built deep friendships here, became part of the heart of the village, and welcomed generations of our family with love.
They named their home here Elliott’s, after that holiday house where they met in Hope Cove—a small, thoughtful touch that was so very Dad . Elliotts was a home where we as children felt safe, celebrated, and endlessly supported in everything we did.

Work
Professionally, Dad spent his career as a Chartered Surveyor, working alongside his father and brother in the family firm Farrant and Wightman, which later became part of Dreweatt Neate and subsequently Carter Jonas. With those property and land deals, came an ever-increasing circle of business acquaintances. He was the General Practice President of the Royal Institution of Chartered Surveyors which was an enormous honour for him. He was known for his integrity, professionalism, and commitment to his work. He lived by the phrase “ Work Hard, Play Hard”. He was, without doubt, exceptionally good at both, which meant he often ran rather late!

He believed strongly in community and gave his time generously to various organisations and people around him. He served as church warden in this church, was involved in many other groups such as Greyweathers, The Old Farts Lunch club, as well as his debentures at MCC and Twickenham. He was President of Royal Wootton Bassett Rugby Club for 15 years. He valued the wonderful friendships that came with being part of something shared.

Rugby
Rugby was indeed one of Dad’s great passions. He would often be wearing his England Rugby hat, his Bath rugby top, his Royal Wootten Bassett Rugby coat, and his beloved Adelaide crows socks, he just couldn’t get enough of it all!
There was an email scam several months ago, supposedly from Dad, though we quickly realised it couldn’t possibly be him, as there was no mention of the latest Bath rugby score!
When going to Twickenham, the pre match picnic in the car park was a big part of the day, he had the clever trick of warming a bottle of red wine under the bonnet of his car — a small, mischievous touch that was so very Dad.
After England’s 2003 World Cup victory, a large flag “accidentally on purpose” made its way home and appeared hanging out the top windows of his office, his pride and mischief rolled into one.

His work to help relocate Royal Wootten Bassett Rugby Club pulled together his expertise as a Surveyor and enthusiasm for Rugby. In his own words a perfect finale to his life’s achievements. The rugby club was like his second home. We felt sure his cars could most probably drive themselves there. Anyone who ever watched a match with him at Bassett or at Bath will know that he did not believe in being a quiet spectator. He often returned home without a voice. Referees occasionally found themselves on the receiving end of some rather colourful language, and if things were not going quite the team’s way, Dad would raise a clenched fist and shout his favourite encouragement:
BELIEVE

That energy came from the same place: a deep love of the sport and a belief in people, perseverance, and facing life’s challenges with determination and optimism—a lesson he passed on to all of us. It’s summed up with another of his well-used quotes. KBO—Keep Buggering On!” Thanks to Winston Churchill.

Cars
He had a deep, joyful love of cars. The little Mini Cooper, outside the church today was indeed like Dad himself, a genuine classic, a British iconic treasure and a good little runner. It is like part of our family! We grew up assuming that everyone’s car had their year of birth or initials on the number plate….. turns out, it was only our Dad.
Driving gloves were always part of the picture on long journeys. On went those string back gloves, a dusty barley sugar from the round tin íf we were lucky, and on arrival at our destination we got to sit on the roof of the car with the hessian wrapped suitcases.
He was desperate to share his love of driving, we spent hours each Sunday afternoon as children learning to drive on an old airfield not far from here. At the age of 12 we were all ready to take our driving tests!

My final trip in the Mini with Dad was on a glorious day at the end of last summer. As we passed the old airfield, the gate stood just open enough to slip through.
We raced along the tracks, the Mini hidden between towering golden crops. Dad glanced over with that cheeky grin—and somehow, I knew it was a moment I’d never forget.

The Mini, the red TR6 and various GTIs were more than just vehicles—they were companions on countless adventures. He said a drive in his TR6 with the roof down was the like medicine! When Rob was little, he remembers going with him to collect a brand new GTI Golf in Devon. In his excitement, Dad arrived without the money; the garage, charmed by his enthusiasm, let him take the car home anyway, and he paid the balance the following day.
Trips to Le Mans, Spa Belgium, Normandy, Silverston, Prescott Hillclimb, Castle Combe to name a few, were never just about the destination—they were about the thrill of the drive, the laughter, and the way those journeys strengthened lifelong bonds.

Boats
Dad’s sense of adventure didn’t just stop on land. No, running 3 marathons wasn’t enough, he also loved being out on the water just as much. Whether sailing Redwing boats with his friends, pottering round the Isles of Scilly or cruising on the Helford River in motorboats, the sea was another playground for his curiosity and joy.
One summer, we entered the boat, Jim Tom, into the inboard race in the Helford Regatta. We were confident we could beat all the other old boats, especially with a substantial head start. Not until the time we had rounded the furthest buoy, did the other boats set off. We were heading back to the finish line, convinced we were going to win. Glancing over his shoulder, Dad shouted “We’ve got this, I reckon we can do it!”
But true to his spirit, he didn’t want to leave anyone out. With the extra weight of all nine of us aboard, we ended up losing by miles. Still, we celebrated our spectacular defeat with Dad’s favourite pint and a pasty at the Shipwright Arms. Even in losing, it was an adventure filled with such laughter that still makes us chuckle today!

Marmalade
At home, Dad had a love for life’s small pleasures. He adored marmalade — ridiculously thick, generous layers of it on toast — as well as wine gums and treacle tart of course! These little joys were as important to him as the big adventures, and he shared them generously with all of us.

British Gentleman
He was, in every sense, a true British Gentleman. He loved everything about this country — its rich history, its beautiful traditions, its flag, the national anthem and the Queen or Kings’ Christmas Day speech, which was always a cherished moment for him. But if there was one thing that set him apart, it was that he never quite mastered the so-called “Stiff British Upper Lip.” His heart was always on display. He felt everything deeply, and his emotions were never hidden — my goodness he cried a lot, it poured out of him in the most genuine and human way. That openness and honesty was the man we loved!

Connection
But perhaps one of Dad’s greatest gifts, was his ability to connect with people. He could strike up a conversation with anyone, anywhere, and what began as a chance encounter often became a story, a friendship, or a shared laugh. You’d find him chatting to a waiter in a restaurant, only to find that his mother’s cousin’s brother’s next-door neighbour, knew our family in Adelaide. He had a remarkable way of making people feel welcome and included, leaving a trail of friendships and memories wherever he went, which is evident with so many people here today.

Family
Dad’s family was the greatest source of his pride. He raised us — Helen, Rob and me, with enthusiasm, a generous heart and true devotion. Watching our family grow, brought him immeasurable joy. His grandchildren, and great granddaughter, were undeniably his most precious, truly valuable treasures and he never missed a chance to tell us so. He has given us the tools for life, to go forward and make him proud, We all feel inspired to do, just that.

Finale
He loved his family so deeply and valued his friendships enormously. As Winnie the Pooh once said “How lucky I am to have something that makes saying goodbye SO hard.” We will miss him immensely and will think of him in all the things he loved — in the roar of a rugby crowd, the put-put of a boat engine, a sunny sheltered spot out of the wind, a beautiful drive, in the joy of our family gatherings, and a slice of toast with far too much marmalade.

And whenever life throws something difficult our way we will remember his strength and good courage, his unwavering “KBO” attitude, and the words he so often shouted from the sidelines, BELIEVE!

Dad…….
See you in our dreams, fair winds, God bless, Pip-Pip.